Dark Skies and Starships
by kira66
Summary: The Romulans and the Federation are enemies. This is a story about one woman, A Starfleet Officer, caught in the middle.
1. Chapter 1

Luna Cross, wife of Seth Cross; a well known Maquis fighter, was on her way to rendevous with _Freedom_, her Maquis freighter when her Maquis raider was shot down over Romulus by a patrolling warbird. She crashed on the plains of Aihai just outside of Ra'tleihfi and was severely injured.

A Romulan patrol was sent, by Admiral D'Nal Jarok, to investigate the crash since the patrolling warbird was under his command.

The injured human, discovered to be a female, was brought before the Admiral who would decide her fate. He turned her over to the Tal'Shiar where she, once healed, was tortured and later sent to a prison camp; having been found guilty on charges of being a federation spy.

Luna would spent a year being a nameless face amongst the crowd. She was only one of a handful of humans in the camp and the only female one. The other humans, all Starfleet officers, took it upon themselves to protect her from those around them that would use her for their own personal pleasure. She was entirely grateful for their kindness and they all became close friends.

Unknown to the Maquis captain, she was being watched. Admiral Jarok had taken a instant liking to the young human female so he had pulled some strings and called in several favors to get his post reassigned, temporarily, to the prison camp.

D'Nal watched her for over three months before, disguised as a Romulan prison guard, he made himself known. He spent another five months gaining her trust. They interacted daily during those five months. He brought her meals and they spent a growing number of hours together.

Soon a rift had formed between her and the Starfleet officers that had taken her under their wing. They didn't like the attention given to her by the Romulan guard. They feared for her because of this attention. Having been there longer, they saw many females of other species take Romulan guards as lovers and most had gotten hurt because of it. They didn't want this to happen to their friend. They tried to get to listen to their fears and worries but she was already smitten with D'Nal.

Two months later, D'Nal and Luna became lovers. Still she didn't know his true identity. She knew him only as D'Nal; the man she was in love with. Him being a Romulan didn't matter to her.

Luna had been raised by two Starfleet parents. Her father was a Captain on board the U.S.S. Dauntless during her childhood and by the time she reached Academy age he had been promoted to Admiral and was stationed on Earth. Her mother was the chief Medical Officer on board the Dauntless and later retired to pursue a career in art. She started out hating Captain Gregory Reed. She found the man to be a pain in the ass and annoying as hell. But the hate turned into love and they were married.

Luna was born a year later followed by twins Justice and Mason and finally Kennedy. The Reed children were raised strictly but fairly. They were always encouraged to follow their hearts and do what they thought was right.

Remembering what she was taught, Luna slowly let herself fall in love D'Nal. In doing so she lost her Starfleet protectors. Two months after becoming lovers, they became deyhhan and ailhun (husband and wife).

D'Nal managed to get the conviction against his wife dropped and after two years, Luna was free. She left the prison camp and moved into D'Nal's house, only then did she find out who he really was. It was by accident. She had overheard a conversation between D'Nal and another Admiral. Her faith and trust in him had been shattered. He lied to her.

Divorce and separation weren't options even before she found out she was pregnant. Once she found out about the baby, she tried to forgive D'Nal. She tried to understand why he did it but she couldn't. Even before the baby was born, their marriage was beginning to crumble.

As fast as she had fallen in love with him, she had fallen out of love. And was beginning to feel guilty for her actions. She had a husband and son whom she just forgot about as soon as she met D'Nal. The birth of their paenhe(daughter), Rhian, didn't help her mood any. Her guilt doubled with each accomplishment her paenhe made. Rhian's first steps and first word reminded her of what she missed with her son, who was only a newborn when she had crashed on Romulus.

Rhian was two when Luna refused to have anything to do with D'Nal. She refused to acknowledge their d'anna (marriage), sleep in the same room with him, or bare him any more children. The guilt had finally overwhelmed her.

She could barely look at the child without feeling ill or hatred for herself. So Rhian spent most of her time with her father who took it upon himself to teach the child the ways of the Romulans. He taught the toddler to be proud of her name and heritage. When she was old enough, he taught her about devotion and loyalty to the Empire. And he taught her that someday she would be his eri'hfirh(heir). Needless to say, that day would never come.

Seven years after the crash of the Maquis raider that brought Luna to Romulus, Starfleet demanded the release of all Federation citizens that were being kept in prison camps; these were brought to Starfleet's attention after an imprisoned Starfleet officer escaped. This officer was one of the men that took care of Luna when she was first brought to the camp. So she wasn't forgotten. She was included in those that the Federation wanted released.

D'Nal fought tooth and nail to keep his daughter on Romulus. His ailhun had fallen out of love with him years before, and he accepted that, but he never expected her to take their paenhe away. She couldn't even look at the girl. He worried that Rhian would not be cared for. But there was nothing he could do. Since her mother was a member of the Federation, that meant that Rhian was too. It seemed that being half Romulan didn't matter to the Romulan government since they ordered D'Nal to let the girl go. They didn't want anymore trouble.

He would always remember the day that his ailhun and his paenhe were _rescued_ from the enemy. It was the day that shaped him into a uncaring, heartless bastard. One of the most feared Romulans ever to serve the empire. He stood by as his paenhe was plucked from his arms by a heavily armed Starfleet Security Officer. The cries of Rhian would haunt him morning and night. He had been denied the right to claim Rhian as his eri'hfirh. He had been denied the chance to see her grow up.

Luna was reunited with her husband, after seven years, only to discover that he had turned away from the Maquis cause and returned to Starfleet and his old career as a Medical Doctor. He wasn't the man that she married. He had changed and as much as she didn't want to admit it, she didn't love him anymore. As strongly as she denied it to herself, it was true. A piece of her heart still belonged to D'Nal.

Her son was already on his way to following in his fathers footsteps. Something she didn't want. They had always agreed that any children that they had would be free to make their own choices; but the boy had already been raised as a Starfleet child. He was well behaved and already into his studies. Luna found that she didn't even know her own son.

Rhian was forgotten, by her ri'nanov, on the transport to Earth. And this terrified the child. She knew that her ri'nanov(mother) couldn't look at her so what was going to happen to her now that her di'ranov(father) wasn't around to care for her? She was surrounded by people speaking a language that she knew that her mother spoke but was never taught to her. They were all dressed funny, acted strange and tried to get her to eat smelly food. Before this she had never seen another human. Her di'ranov had encouraged her to be social with the other Romulan children and she was never lacking a friend. Now she was completely alone in a strange world. Rhian didn't like the man that greeted them once they reached Earth. He was kissing and touching her ri'nanov. No one was allowed to do that except her di'ranov. This brought out her protective instinct which only got her yelled at by her ri'nanov.

At first, Seth had been appalled by the child his wife brought back with her. The youngster was obviously Romulan or at least partially. Then he found out that the child belonged to his wife. But by the way his wife was acting, she wished she didn't. By these actions, he assumed that the child, Rhian, was the product of a rape. He voiced this to his wife and wasn't corrected. She couldn't tell him that Rhian had been created out of love instead of hate. It would mean her facing the guilt.

So the girl was brought home with them and Seth automatically started talking about adopting the rebellious child that didn't understand a lick of English. He had always wanted more than one child and when his wife disappeared, he feared that would never come true. He now saw Rhian as his second chance at being a father since he didn't want to push his wife into having more. Too traumatic, he had been told by several doctors he consulted a few months after his wife had been returned to him. He adopted Rhian, a year after they returned to earth, and decided that her real parentage should be kept quiet, his wife didn't protest this. So they changed her name to Kira and gave her his last name. All official documents listed her father as a Vulcan. It was needed to explain the way the child looked. In reality, he didn't want anyone knowing that he was raising a Romulan child, half human or not, it didn't matter.

Rhian, now known as Kira, spoke only Romulan for the first two years she was on earth, refusing to learn the language of her ri'nanov/mother . She wanted to go home and always voiced this; before in Romulan and after in English. She wanted her real father not the man pretending. But each cry went unheard by her mother and _father_. She reluctantly conformed to those around her, acting more Human than Romulan. But she never forgot the Romulan language; she always spoke it when she was alone to keep herself fluent, or what her di'ranov/father had taught her.

Seth died when Kira was fourteen. The ship he was stationed on, the U.S.S. Philadelphia, was attacked by a Rebel Romulan faction. He was amongst the fatalities. This began the decline of her relationship with her brother. He began to ask questions about the way Kira looked and each time the questions were left unanswered. All he had been told at this point was that they were half siblings; sharing a mother but not a father. And his sisters not wanting revenge against the Romulans just angered him more.

Kira had grown to care for the man that took her fathers place. He cared for her when her mother refused. He treated her like his own daughter. But she never grew to love the man as a father. He was more like an uncle that was always around. She grieved for him in her own way, never showing any emotions.

After the death of Seth, Luna returned to her Maquis ways, having put it on hold once she returned to Earth. Kira entered the Academy early. Seth Jr. headed into his sophomore year at the Academy and already knew that he wanted to be a Engineer; well on his way to making that happen.

The two Cross children began separate paths, neither including the other. Which was fine by Kira since she knew that Seth was the favored child. He was the _real_ child of Luna and Seth Cross and she was an unwanted addition to the family . They never said this, of course, but she could sense it. They both loved Seth while they only cared for her. Or at least her mother only cared for her like one would care for a pet. The elder Seth did try to love her but she could feel the difference in his love. She never said anything about it, knowing nothing would change. Seth might have been the favored child but she didn't envy him. She never wanted to be like him. Or change who she was. She was proud of her heritage and that would never change. Just because she had to lie about it, didn't mean that she didn't accept it. She had accepted her Romulan side long ago. And no matter how much her _parents _tried to make her forget her childhood on Romulus, she never did. It was apart of her. It made her partly who she is and she couldn't just forget that.


	2. Chapter 2

Kira took a deep breath, a bit of nervousness tickling the back of her throat. This was the day she had been working towards since her first day at the Academy; the day she would finally report to her first assignment, as Chief Medical Officer, onboard a Starship. And not just any starship. She was assigned to the one being captained by one of her closest friends; Eric Sanders.

Eric Franklin Sanders was born and raised in San Francisco. His parents were both artists and wished for their only child to follow in their footsteps; it wasn't meant to be. Eric had other ideas. His sights were set on the stars. So at the age of sixteen he entered into Starfleet Academy with the hopes of someday becoming a Starship Captain. He was in his sophomore year when he met a young, enthusiastic, Kira Cross; two years his junior. An automatic friendship was formed between the two, very different, cadets. They stayed friends throughout the Academy but lost contact for a time when Kira entered into Starfleet Medical. The death of Benjamin Ashmore, Kira's husband, brought the two friends back together.

In a transporter room on the U.S.S. Dakota, Captain Eric Sanders had already been waiting for several minutes when the transporter platform finally began to sparkle, and four forms began to take shape. The ship's Captain could barely contain his excitement as the officers began to materialized. As soon as the transport was complete, Kira didn't move while the other three officers, who were transferring, filed out of the room after being warmly welcomed by Chief Rawson; Transporter Chief . It had been about four months since they had seen each other in person, due to the fact that Eric had been promoted to Captain of the Dakota; having served as the first officer for a year.

Captain Sanders stood stiff and rigid as he stuck out his hand to Kira. "Doctor." He greeted, formally.

Kira copied his pose as she stepped down off the transporter pad, duffle bag over her shoulder. "Captain." She greeted him just as formally as she shook his hand. "I am honored to be serving on board." She left go of his hand.

"The Dakota is a fine ship." The Captain commented as he steered her out of the transporter room and into the corridor. "I think you'll enjoy it here, Doctor." He began to walk, knowing that she'd follow.

"Really?" Kira raised an eyebrow as she strode after him, matching pace with his strides. "I don't think that will be a problem, Captain. I'm excited about being here, sir." A mischievous twinkle appeared in her eyes briefly then was replaced by her serious expression, once again.

"Can we please drop the whole stiff, stuffy, attitude until your shift starts? It'll feel good to hear my name for a change." Eric gave her a smile to show that his request was genuine. He stopped and leaned against the nearby bulkhead.

"That would be unprofessional, sir." Kira protested as she stopped beside him. She couldn't afford to get into any trouble. Not since the incident at her previous assignment.

Captain Sanders almost laughed. Between her, his Vulcan science officer, and the ship's computer, he'd likely go insane. "This is your second position on a starship, correct?" He asked, and motioned for her to follow him, again. He'd keep it professional for the moment.

"Yes, sir. I served on the U.S.S. Yeager for six months. I was then transferred to your ship since you were in need of a CMO." Kira paused for a moment and then added. "It is an honor to be a part of your crew, Captain." That wasn't entirely true. She was transferred since her last Captain requested it. She also knew that Eric had snatched up the change to have her as an officer and put in for her assignment.

The Captain nodded. "Thank you." After a moment, he added. "Forgive me for saying so, but this is a very demanding position. Are you sure that you're ready to start so soon? Maybe you'd like to take sometime before you start? We don't leave dock for another week so it wouldn't be any trouble."

Kira didn't try to hide the frown that had formed on her, otherwise, unemotional face. "I thank you for the offer sir, but I'm more than ready to begin. I don't need any time before we get underway." She felt slightly betrayed since it appeared to her that Eric was questioning her skills and mental state. "I would like the extra time to get acquainted with sickbay and to settle in, sir."

Eric raised his eyebrow and dropped the subject since he had clearly hit a nerve. "Alright. I was just offering." After a brief moment he added, "I would have done the same thing for any of my senior staff."

A pair of doors whooshed open in front of them and they stepped onto the bridge.

"Captain on the bridge!" Someone, off to the right, announced.

"Carry on." Sanders dismissed, and then added, "I would like to introduce you all to our new Chief Medical Officer, Lieutenant Commander Kira Cross."

Brief introductions were made, and a woman walked up to Kira. "I'm Commander Parker Jaxon, First Officer."

Kira nodded. "Commander." She acknowledged as she quickly gave the Commander a once over.

Parker grinned. "I can't tell you how nice it is to have you on board. Our last Doctor was a real pain in the ass." She explained.

Kira grinned then nodded. "I know the type." She already liked the Commander. Turning to the Captain, she asked. "When would you like me to begin my duties?"

Eric blinked. "Why don't you go to your quarters first and get settled in. You can start next shift."

"As you wish, sir." Kira turned briskly and walked off the bridge.

Behind her, Parker smiled slightly at the Captain. "She certainly is...different, isn't she? Vulcan?"

The Captain nodded. "Very different. She's prides herself on that. She's, recently, gone through a rough spot, she needs friendship, not judgement, Parker." He avoided the question about her race and kept his tone final.

Behind her station, N'alae turned. "She is Vulcan isn't she, sir?" N'alae, a Vulcan, is the ships science officer. She is also part Romulan but doesn't know much about that side of her.

"Half Vulcan, actually." Sanders clarified after a brief moment of hesitation. "Her mother is human." He knew that Kira was a private person and hated when people treated her by the way her ears looked. But this was his crew and they deserved to know about the newest crew member.

"Really." N'alae raised an eyebrow. "Fascinating." She had sensed the captains hesitation and made a mental note to herself to find out more about the new doctor.

Glancing at Cecilia Thomas, a Vulcan-Human helmsmen, the Captain added. "I suppose between the three of you, I now have two full loads of Vulcan logic to deal with."

Cecilia turned and observed the Captain. "You are certainly very fortunate, sir." She then turned back to the helm. They were docked but she had several programs that she had to run before they were cleared to depart.

**

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**

In her quarters, Kira began to put away her belongings. " Computer, temperature?" She queried. Since she had walked into the room, she had been feeling uncomfortable with the temperature.

"_Vulcan normal._" Responded the computer in its monotone voice.

Kira sighed and shook her head. "Computer, change temperature to Earth normal." The computer beeped as it complied with her command. Finally the temperature adjusted and she began to relax. She then continued with what she wad doing. She lifted a sculpture out of her duffle bag. It had been a gift from her father; her real father, for her fourth birthday. She paused for a moment, remembering.

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**_Flashback_**

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"_What is it?" Four year old Rhian asked her father as she turned the sculpture over in her small hands._

_D'Nal looked at his young daughter with pride shining in his eyes. "It's a set'leth, paenhe. My di'ranov, your hru'diranov, gave that to me when I was your age. I want you to have it now. Keep it until you have children of your own. Then pass it to them."_

"_Thank you, di'ranov." She hugged the sculpture to her chest then looked up at her father. "Can I show ri'nanov?" She asked in a small voice; already knowing the answer but wanting to try anyways._

_He thought about his ailhun locked in her room and shook his head. "Your ri'nanov is resting. You can show her another day." D'Nal hated the way Luna treated Rhian. But there was nothing he could do._

_Rhian stomped her foot as a surge of anger shot through her small form. "Why does ri'nanov hate me!" The child demanded. She was confused and no one ever gave her a straight answer; her being a child and not being able to understand it._

_D'Nal watched his daughter, intently, for a moment. "Your ri'nanov does not hate you, Rhian." He said, firmly. She might be only four but she had a fire about her that made her act much older and wiser sometimes. This was one of those times. Luna didn't hate Rhian, at least not directly. She hated him and he helped create the child; so her anger and hatred were transferred, in some part, to Rhian. "She is ill." That was the excuse he had used since Rhian had been old enough to ask for her mother. "Now calm yourself. She will be well again and then you can show her your set'leth." _

_This answer seemed to appease Rhian; for the moment. "Can I have set'leth?" she asked in all her childish glory._

_Laughter sprang from D'Nal's straight lined lips. Only his paenhe could make him laugh so. " Let us go play D'elo and I will think about getting you a set'leth; when you are older." He offered his hand to Rhian._

_Studying his hand, Rhian placed her sculpture onto the table then accepted the offered hand. "Alright." She lead him outside for a game for D'elo._

**

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_**End Flashback**_

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Shaking her head, to clear away the memory, Kira stared at the sculpture of the set'leth for a moment longer, and then placed it on a nearby table. Turning away, she proceeded to finish unpacking.

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_The sun beat down on the plains of Aihai as she stood motionless. She lowered her eyes and squinted, listening. The wind seemed to whisper her name as it swept strands of dark hair into her face. As she relished the tranquility of solitude, the whispers grew louder and she realized that they were coming from behind her. _

"_Rhian."_

_Turning, she found that her beconer was a man in a long, dark green robe, a hood hiding his face. He began to speak, and Kira was startled when she realized that the language was Romulan or at least a Romulan dialect._

_"Do you know who I am?" He asked. His voice steady and cold. _

_"No." Kira felt her heart rate increase and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end , but she wasn't sure why. _

_"I am many things. I was, for one, a member of the military faction that attacked the U.S.S. Zapata." He spoke of death and destruction as one would speak of the weather. _

_Kira stood completely still, hearing in her mind for a moment, the screams of those who had died on board; her adopted father included. She wanted with all of her being to throw logic to the wind, to abandon all that she believed, and to kill the man where he stood. This shocked her. She never felt this angry towards anything, except the Borg and never a Romulan, before At least she assumed that he was a Romulan since she couldn't see his face._

_"Are you sure you do not know who I am?" He asked again, and let the hood fall back off his head._

_Kira looked on in horror as she stared at a mirror image of herself. _

**

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**

Kira sat up in bed, breathing heavily, sure that her heart would burst from her chest. The image of her dream haunted her as she stood and walked to a mirror on the opposite side of the room. "Computer, lights on. Full illumination."

The computer beeped as it complied. Light flooded the room.

Kira closed her eyes in pain and took a moment to let them adjusted to the sudden light. Then, she slid out of bed and padded into the bathroom where she stared at her reflection in the mirror.

The reflection stared back at her, conveying the look of bewilderness and even fear, that showed on her own face.

"I am not afraid." Kira said aloud; in a firm tone. As a rule, Kira only dreamed of her husbands death. However, lately, she had awoken nearly every night for the last month with this same one. There were variations of course, but she knew the meaning and significance of the dream; it was rather obvious. She was afraid of her heritage which was shocking since she always accepted her Romulan side.

Kira knew that half-breeds, she used this term with a mental flinch, were not altogether uncommon, even on Earth. Perhaps it was the beliefs that her adopted father tried to install in her, coming to the surface, that made her so wary of her heritage; he made it clear that he considered Romulans to be the enemy: warlike, unmoral, deceitful. It hadn't helped matters, of course, that his wife had been held prisoner by the Romulans and had a child, fathered by one. So he tried his damnest to get Kira to turn against her Romulan heritage; this entailed stories about the brutality of the Romulans, as bedtime stories.

She knew that cultural stereotypes were cruel and usually unfounded. Kira had nothing against the Romulans; how could she? She wanted to believe that biological father was a good man. But there was a part of her that didn't want to find out, for fear that she would discover otherwise. That would make her cherished childhood memories nothing more than lies. And she couldn't handle that.

Disgusted with herself, Kira put on her uniform, giving up hope of falling asleep again. "Computer, time and return lights to normal setting?" She grunted out as she rubbed her bloodshot eyes.

"_Thirteen hundred hours._" Came the instantaneous, mechanical, reply of the computer. The lights dimmed to a bearable lumination.

Her shift wasn't for another two hours. Deciding to do some exploring, Kira opened the door to her quarters and stepped out into the corridor.


End file.
